Former President Joe Biden has given his endorsement to Keisha Lance Bottoms as she aims to be elected the next governor of Georgia. Biden expressed his support in an Instagram video posted to Bottoms’ campaign page. The 46th president praised Bottoms for the work she did as mayor of Atlanta and said that she’s ready to take the next step in her career.

“I’ve known her for a long time, and she’s something special,” Biden said in the video. “Georgia, she’s ready. She’s been ready.”

Bottoms held multiple positions during Joe Biden’s presidency

Bottoms was named as a possible running mate for Biden during the 2020 election. Although she never got the nomination, she worked as a senior adviser for public engagement in the White House from 2022 to 2023, The Grio reported. She was also Biden’s senior adviser during his re-election campaign.

Biden raved about Bottoms during her stint in the White House. The former president said Bottoms “understands that democracy is about making government work for working families, for the people who are the backbone of this country.”

“She led the city of Atlanta with strength through the pandemic, through a summer of protests and pain, and through the mass shooting that left Atlanta’s Asian American community in fear,” he said at that time, per NPR. “Keisha is bright, honorable, tough and has the integrity required to represent our Administration to the American public.”

Bottoms is competing in a tight race for Georgia governor

Bottoms finds herself in a competitive race that includes highly favored candidates from both political parties. The field includes former Georgia state Sen. Jason Esteves and former state labor commissioner Michael Thurmond, as well as former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. The top Republican candidates include health care CEO Rick Jackson, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.